What I have realised is that publishing is a class issue and a lot of the people reading me are of a different class to what I’m reflecting and certainly the voice I often write in… and so when the rejection comes it really frustrates me because is not the writing they’re rejecting, it’s the class I’m reflecting.
lisa blower
In this episode, Lisa discusses her experience with rejection. By taking a glance at her incredible career (an ample list of prestigious awards, two novels out with prestigious publishers…) one may think she’s not one used to dealing with rejection. But truth is, Lisa’s publishing journey has been a complex one (as it tends to happen to many of us!) with a fair share of rejections.
What is more, Lisa suggests that sometimes, when you write from a perspective that is not mainstream, your writing may get automatically rejected because the gatekeepers can’t see themselves reflected in your stories.
This is an issue that affects many authors in all sorts of genres – read here this sharp article by J K Nemisin. The publishing industry needs to change, so let’s persevere and keep knocking at the doors no matter how many rejections we may face!
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The Wandering Bard podcast is also available on Spotify. You can also find us on Twitter at @TheWBmag.
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